Official Page of Yarty Kim
When I was a college freshman, my father passed away. My mother 2 years earlier.
Despite the tragedies, I made a promise to myself and to my late father to turn my life around, excel academically, and secure a high-paying job.
The last conversation I had with my dad before he passed remains etched in my memory.
I told him that I loved him and appreciated all his sacrifices.
As an immigrant who had faced immense hardships, he had given everything to our family.
I vowed to make him proud by achieving academic excellence and eventually retiring him from hard labor, a promise that fueled my determination.
Wrestling played a crucial role in shaping my resilience and work ethic.
Although I wasn’t anything special, the sport ingrained in me the importance of not quitting and continuously striving for improvement.
This mindset was critical during both my studies and job hunting.
As I embarked on my journey towards a career in investment banking and finance, one piece of advice from a mentor stood out: “Become really damn good at Excel.”
According to him, my proficiency in Excel would make me stand out, especially against candidates from more prestigious schools.
I took this advice to heart and committed to mastering every aspect of Excel, from basic commands to advanced formulas and shortcuts.
Every week, after completing my college assignments and exams, I dedicated hours to practicing Excel.
I learned formulas, shortcuts, and how to create complex financial models.
This relentless practice not only boosted my academic performance but also played a significant role in landing me a prestigious job with GE’s FMP program.
Without this, I truly believe I would not be where I am today.
Fifteen to twenty years later, I continue to use and love Excel.
It’s an indispensable tool that I can navigate effortlessly, whether building financial models or analyzing data.
It’s also allowed me to become more strategic minded because of the speed advantages from being quick in Excel.
As a result, my proficiency in Excel has opened numerous doors for career advancement and opportunities.
For those striving to excel in their careers, I advise using Excel as a framework for self-improvement.
Start by learning one new function or formula a week (30 minutes).
Create spreadsheets for personal interests, like tracking cryptocurrency or planning for a job promotion.
With each iteration, aim to complete your tasks faster and more efficiently.
Takes you 1 hour? Trim it down 50% to 30 minutes.
Then further trim those 30 minutes by half again down to 15 minutes.
You get the idea đ
The greatest barrier to achieving success is often our own self-doubt.
By committing to continuous learning and self-improvementâwhether through Excel or other skillsâyou set yourself up for long-term success.
Remember, put a smile on your face, embrace the grind, and keep moving forward.
Time sneaks into every decision we make.
What will you eat for dinner?
What job will you look for next?
What’s the next business idea you’ll work on?
đ Time.
Whether it’s about career advancement, personal development, or simply choosing what to eat, time is the silent factor influencing our choices.
We often find ourselves chasing dreams with the hope that with just a bit more time, we could achieve them faster and more efficiently.
Consider any skill you’ve wanted to master, from professional qualifications (e.g. CMA, CPA, MBA) to hobbies like jiu-jitsu (from white to black belt takes 10 years on average).
The journey to expertise is a marathon, not a sprint.
There are no shortcuts to experience.
It’s all about putting in the hours, the practice, and, yes, making the most of the time you have.
Because tomorrow is never guaranteed.
Launching and nurturing a business is a prime example of time’s impact.
From acquiring sales and marketing knowledge to understanding operations, every step requires a significant time investment.
Unless you’ve had prior experience, most of us have to learn from the ground up.
My entire career was in Corporate Finance (longer story here).
And while I learned how the numbers worked in growing revenues, I didn’t know how to capture revenues.
Kind of a big deal in business.
Ultimately, it’s about dedicating the hours to learn, fail, and eventually succeed.
And only time allows for that.
Every choice, from the mundane (like what to eat for breakfast) to the critical (getting married and having kids), involves time.
Purchasing decisions, for example, aren’t just about what we buy but also the time spent considering our options.
“Is this healthier than this? What about that? And what about this I found on Amazon?”
Decisions take time.
Consider what’s important to you to allocate that time towards.
Why does time matter?
Because it’s finite.
Once that hour passes, it’s gone.
Forever.
Here’s a simple graphic depicting our age and lifecycle:
We’re constantly reminded to be mindful of how we spend our time, focusing on activities that bring us joy and fulfillment.
Recognizing time as our most valuable asset is the first step towards living a life aligned with our true priorities.
Family, friends, you name it.
Time shapes our existence, from the personal ambitions we chase to the professional goals we set.
Embracing time as a precious commodity means making conscious choices about how we spend it, who we spend it with, and what we spend it on.
Technology, mentorship, and self-investment can be powerful tools in making the most out of our limited time.
Reflect on your relationship with time and how it influences your life’s trajectory.
Remember, time is the one asset you can’t afford to waste.
Cheers đ
Tomorrow may never come.
Tomorrow may not show up.
Tomorrow is a long time.
Realizing that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed changes perspective.
Our perspective.
My perspective.
So live your best life now.
Take on new challenges.
Fight for what you believe in.
Do what you believe is right.
Stand up for what you believe is right.
Be authentic.
Be genuine.
Be curious.
Be hungry.
Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.
So live a life so big you won’t regret it.
And then you can look back with a smile.
When I graduated college, I did what everyone else did.
Get a job, go to work daily, come home, eat, rinse, and repeat.
However, after I was laid off for the second time, I realized I needed to change.
So I quit my job, turned down offers including Amazon, and went backpacking.
It was during this period of my life I learned about mind maps.
TLDR: Mind maps are life-changing. They will force you to think deep.
What I learned from mind maps wasn’t about pretty visuals or a wall of text.
No.
It was about how to think.
Sounds silly, right?
And you’re probably thinking to yourself now, “But I already know how to think.”
I thought so too.
That all changed when I discovered that real thinking manifests when we sit down and think.
Truly think about the thing we’re doing.
Let’s use an example:
What do I do with my life?
Reasonable question.
Let me ask, how did you answer it?
Did you have an answer?
If yes, great!
If no, no worries. (This question is HARD for anyone.)
Now let’s try answering using the mind map framework.
Okay, we got some clarity now.
We’ve broken it down into short-term (less than 1 year) and long-term (more than 1 year) timelines.
Let’s go deeper.
Awesome! Now we’ve isolated our thinking to “Goals” and by category (Personal vs. Professional).
Let’s go one level deeper.
Now that’s specific. đ
By doing this exercise, you’re clearly articulating what you want, when you want it, with whom you want to do it, etc.
Your thinking has gone 3 levels deep vs. the 1 level we had initially.
How’s that for deep thinking?
Let’s try one more exercise that I love doing and do every week.
A mind map for our life as a whole.
Doing this mind map exercise will unveil so much about yourself.
The list goes on.
A mind map is ultimately a way of thinking.
A way of being able to consolidate your brain in one place to make sense of this crazy thing called life.
Now go give it a try.
Map out your life, goals, ambitions, and so on.
And when you’re done, let me know how it went!
Would love to hear about it.
Chat soon! đ
I’ve always been a curious person growing up.
When I was little, I would stare up at the stars and wonder what those things were.
“How do I get there? Can I touch it? How far away are those stars?”
My mind was filled with imagination.
I wanted to learn how this life worked.
In my high school days, I was learning but honestly, it was mostly memorization.
I was struggling with home life, so I barely had time to think about school.
I did enough to study, get decent grades, and apply to college.
However, the real learning began in college.
In fact, I had no choice.
It was do or die for me at that period in time.
I had just lost my father, and I had no other family.
In my mind, I HAD to get a job. I HAD to make money.
I HAD to survive at all costs.
And the only way I could achieve that was by studying.
More importantly, learning everything.
So for the next 4 years, I studied feverishly. All day, every day, while at work, eating dinner, hanging with friends.
In my mind, I had ZERO doubt that was what I NEEDED to do.
I worked multiple jobs, studied all day, dreamed about how I would be successful.
I thought about how things would get easier.
I visualized it every day.
Learning is a process.
Learning is a habit.
Learning is dedication.
Learning is a way of thinking.
I understood immediately that the only way I was going to survive was to level up.
I NEEDED to be smarter. I NEEDED more knowledge. I NEEDED to understand what was happening.
This, in turn, changed everything.
I started loving studying because I was learning how things worked.
From science to finance to greek mythology, I enjoyed it. Some classes less so of course đ
But overall, I learned to enjoy the process.
I was able to make SENSE of what I was learning.
I also found that I LOVED helping and teaching others, which I still do to this day.
When you find a way to be curious and wonder how things became the way they are, that’s where true learning emerges.
You begin to enjoy the fine details.
Steve Jobs was like this.
The truth is we all live busy lives, so taking the time to learn can be challenging. However, it can achieved.
Start with one fundamental question, “Do I want to learn?”
We can’t begin to learn anything if we don’t have the desire to.
So ask these questions and see how you feel:
Having a desire is the first step towards the path of learning.
Like everything in life, learning is a process. It’s a journey.
Learn to love it.
Learn to love every minute of it.
Things take time.
But when you do achieve something new as a result of spending time to learn, you feel amazing.
To this day, I learn everything.
I keep an open-mind to all perspectives.
I love hearing what people have to say, whether I agree or not.
So there you have it.
Keep learning, keep growing, and most importantly, have fun.
Life’s short, kick ass, and spend it with people you love.
Enjoy!
Curiosity is an unfair advantage.
Curiosity will encourage you to take bold actions, start new projects, and force you out of your comfort zone.
Go back to the last time you truly asked questions about life, your career, your relationships, etc.
At some point, we lost our curiosity of the world.
Be bold, be fearless, embrace life.
Be curious.
Be daring and live the life you want and desire.
No one – and I mean no one – can say otherwise.
Be curious, stay curious.
The only way to live a full, true, happy life is to be 100%, fully authentic to your true self.
What does that mean?
It means being yourself even when no one is around to watch you.
Life is short.
Time is valuable.
Spend it graciously and abundantly with people you care about.
Protect your time.
Be authentic.
Be yourself.
2022 is here.
365 days have passed.
Itâs time to set some goals.
Instead of New Year Resolutions, focus on themes.
These themes should be so powerful that you innately tackle your goals every day without having to think.
You may be thinking, âWhat does that even mean AND how do I create my goals as you mentioned?â
Letâs jump right in.
Every new year, we create resolutions.
Some include losing weight, sleeping earlier, lifting more, etc.
The issue with this is there are no powerful motivators for us to start.
What do I mean?
Letâs start with losing weight.
These questions are important.
Ultimately, you need themes.
Themes are things that characterize and personify who you are.
Repeat – who YOU are.
Not what anyone else thinks.
Some examples include:
So instead of creating goals that are vague and bland, focus on themes.
First, to achieve any goal you have to have a system and process in place.
For example, I use Notion to create my goals.
Then I create a Clickup weekly recurring task to review and analyze my goals.
I do this every week, no questions asked.
Here is my current 2022 goals:
On top are my themes; below are my goals.
When creating your themes, think about whatâs most important to you.
What truly matters to you.
For me, being healthy and passing down my heritage to my family is important.
Once youâve created your goals, review and assess.
This is straightforward.
Review your goals frequently.
Set up a recurring task to review your goals.
I like to deep dive every month for an hour.
I also track my time using Toggl, which provides me with monthly reports to see if Iâm doing the things that get me closer to my goals.
Itâs important to complete this step; otherwise, December rolls around and another year of not achieving your goals.
None of us want that.
So review frequently, ask the hard questions, and embrace the wins.
Create goals tied to themes.
Make these themes powerful and specific to you.
In some sense, these goals should make you angry.
Why?
Because youâll be more likely to tackle them.
For me, being healthy is incredibly important because I want to be able to play with my family.
If I donât take care of my body, I canât do this.
And it makes me angry.
So I hope this helped you.
Let me know your thoughts and what your 2022 goals are.
#embracethegrind
Uncertainty is inevitable.
Fear is inevitable.
We all experience it.
But how we deal with it is a different story.
After trying and experimenting many different things over my 3 decades here on Earth, here’s what I have learned.
Are you proud of what you’ve done?
Is this who I am? Someone who doesn’t take action?
Those two phrases power me every day.
Whenever I face a difficult challenge, I ask those things.
Cold email, networking, jumping on a call, podcast, etc.
They all scared me.
BJJ, MMA, boxing, wrestling.
I’ve done these for over 20 years.
I’m still scared.
But the trick is, I ask those two questions mentioned above to get me fired up.
Is this just me?
The thing is this.
We all CAN change.
It comes down to a choice.
What choice will you make?
Remember this: whatever’s happened in the past is the past.
You CAN change.
Take action.
Be fearless.
Live without regrets.
“You’re never going to change.”
“That isn’t you.”
“We’ve been together 20 years. Don’t bother.”
“You say you want to do. But you won’t.”
“You don’t have confidence.”
Please don’t do this.
Instead, do this.
Be positive vs. negative.
Be supportive vs. unsupportive.
Be hopeful vs. pessimistic.
Be loving vs. uncaring.
Be open-minded vs. close-minded.
Here’s the thing.
The world is your oyster.
You never know what can happen.
So why not choose the path to happiness and exploration.
That’s how to live.
Everything means nothing when all is gone.
You won’t take your cars, your houses, your money to your grave.
Your status games, your desire to show off, your need to please.
None of it matters.
So focus on what makes you happy.
Maybe it’s taking a walk outside at night.
Maybe it’s tinkering with toys.
Maybe it’s a hot meal out near the beach.
Whatever it is, do that.
Be happy.
In a world where social media reigns supreme and everyone is trying to go viral, stick to what makes you happy.
Sanity is nice.
Yes. You heard that right.
Forget your pride.
Forget trying to be right.
Forget trying to always be number 1.
Forget trying to stomp all over everyone.
Forget trying to prove everything to everyone.
Forget being miserable.
Forget being prideful.
When all’s said and done, and the ashes have cleared, only the people who truly matter will remain.
When they’re gone, they’re gone.
Forget your pride.
Let them know how much you love them.
Don’t wait.
Don’t let your pride sink in.
Just let the words out.
Be grateful.
Time is limited.
Time is precious.
This is our one life.
Our one and only life.
*Originally posted back in May 7, 2017 after leaving my corporate job
My definition of the “grind” is the ability, determination, and willingness to push through an obstacle, despite the unnerving challenges ahead.
This can be working hard at your job to finish a project deadline, working through the Nth hour on your small business, or even anxiously pummeling your way to complete your last set of push-ups.
As a wrestler and lifelong martial artist, Iâve sustained numerous injuries, puked my share of times after practice, and generally felt like giving up.
But I would always recall the âgrindâ.
How could I look at myself and just quit?
How could I allow myself to just stop when the going got tough?
I canât.
To grind through tough circumstances is what develops character, strength, heart, and dedication.
It can be hard though.
Fear, rejection, and anxiety. We all face it.
But what’s important is to remember we will endure it.
We will get past it.
You can grind through the pain.
And remember, when you do, cherish every moment.
Soak it all in.
You earned it.
Because when you take a step back, you tell yourself, âI did this. On my ownâ.
Grind through the circumstances.
Grind through the challenges and obstacles that lie up ahead.
Youâll be proud of yourself for having done so.
*This was originally posted on May 13, 2017
âI canât do this.â
âIâve never done this before.â
âWhy does it matter. Iâll fail anyways.â
How many times have you or someone else you know said this?
I know I have.
Iâve passed up on many opportunities due to the lack of self-belief.
But why do we think this way?
Growing up, Iâve had to be my own champion.
I had to pump myself up before big events, whether it was interviewing for a new job or competing in a grappling tournament. Rarely did I have someone nearby to say, âYou can do this. Believe in yourself.â
Rather, the opposite and would go something to the effect of, âYou could get hurt! Why bother? Itâs a waste of time!â
I remember those moments. For whatever reason, I couldn’t get those words out of my head.
Now older, I believe more than ever we need to be our own champions.
We need to tell ourselves that itâs possible, that we have the ability to mold our circumstances, that we have to be intrinsically motivated.
We need to fight for what we want in this life.
I remember the first time I stepped into the cage for my MMA debut.
It was easily the most nerving moment of my life. I mean, I was about to step into a cage, in front of hundreds of strangers, with another man who wanted to hurt me.
I was ready to face the very real possibility that I could have my arm snapped off or be knocked unconscious. Publicly, no less.
But I also believed in myself I was ready. Why?
I had completed an eight-week training camp, sparring week in and week out with the best training partners and having the best coaches around.
I knew I prepared the best I could. I was training twice a day, 6 days a week for my fight.
I knew in my heart that regardless of the outcome, I put in the hard work and dedication. I believed in myself.
Thankfully, the result was positive. I won.
With all that said, believe in yourself.
Believe in yourself when no one else will.
Weâre our own worst enemies, and more importantly, our own strongest advocates.
Itâs amazing what humans can achieve when we believe in ourselves.
Remember, time flies and days become months, months become years.
Whatever is on our minds that we want to achieve, take the first step. Just take an action.
You won’t regret it.